World Council of Churches general secretary the Rev Dr Sam Kobia has expressed "joy" at the liberation of Ingrid Betancourt and other hostages in Colombia - and has called for more humanitarian releases.

In a world where we are used to generalizing, it is inevitable that we will continue to use expressions like “the rich” and “the poor”, says Paul Mukerji. But his time in Colombia led him to question the way this division is formulated.

Some international peaceworkers in Colombia have decided not to join a march today against guerilla group FARC. Local human rights activists say it "dangerously oversimplifies" the quest for a just peace.

Paul Mukerji, a tour manager from Kent in England, is travelling to Colombia as part of a delegation sponsored by Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT), which works to 'get in the way' of violence in zones of conflict around the world.

The recent freeing of Clara Rojas and Consuelo González in Colombia has been welcomed by a World Council of Churches' spokesperson as a sign of hope that non-violence and justice is still possible in the troubled country.

Joining a peace event in Colombia, a Mennonite pastor has warned that, in a nation torn by conflict and violence, peace cannot be reached by a greater investment in the military - but through the action of citizens to build alternatives.

Mennonites and Catholics in conflict-ridden Colombia have discovered common ground in their recent dialogue about peacemaking, part of an international series of meetings to encourage more fruitful contact between the two Christian traditions.

In addition to long-term work involving a substantial investment of time, training and commitment, Christian Peacemaker Teams sends short-term (7-14 day) delegations into crisis settings around the world.